Publishers Weekly
06/27/2022
Beaty conjures a complex and socially conscious murder mystery set in a Western European–inspired medieval fantasy city that’s hiding cataclysmic secrets. As master architect Magister Thomas’s assistant, Catrin, 17, is privy to the ins and outs of Collis’s streets, including Thomas’s current project, a church dubbed the Holy Sanctum. Cat’s magical foresight—kept secret to avoid societal rejection—also grants her premonitions that help evade potential construction calamity. After finding the body of a violently murdered sex worker in the Holy Sanctum, Cat becomes entangled in the investigation. Considered the crime’s only witness, she is expected to cooperate with Simon, 19, the handsome, enigmatic man conducting the inquiry. Though she must keep her magic hidden from Simon or face potentially deadly consequences, she uses it to lead the pair to more bodies and clues. But the longer the serial killer terrorizes Collis and the more secrets the duo uncover, the more danger Cat finds herself in. Beaty thoroughly and deftly examines prejudice against sex workers and people with mental illnesses, combining introspective dialogue, subtle magic, and hair-raising thrills for a riveting, thoughtful read. A contextualizing author’s note concludes. Ages 14–up. Agent: Valerie Noble, Donaghy Literary. (June)
From the Publisher
Readers are quickly absorbed into this rich world of magic, murder, and mystery set in the medieval era . . . Fans of high fantasy and mystery will enjoy the lush details, from the buildings to the various characters.” —School Library Journal
“Dark thrills for fans of psychology, magick, and murder.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Beaty’s protagonist is a medieval version of Clarice from The Silence of the Lambs, and she is constantly surrounded by chauvinistic men who underestimate her . . . Readers will appreciate this period piece starring a heroine with uncharted gifts and bravado. An elementary choice of a read.” —Booklist
“[A] complex and socially conscious murder mystery set in a Western European–inspired medieval fantasy city that’s hiding cataclysmic secrets . . . Beaty thoroughly and deftly examines prejudice against sex workers and people with mental illnesses, combining introspective dialogue, subtle magic, and hair-raising thrills for a riveting, thoughtful read.” —Publishers Weekly
School Library Journal
12/09/2022
Gr 9 Up—Seventeen-year-old Catrin is used to spending her days looking for things out of place; her job is to make sure the construction of the Holy Sanctum is safe, so she checks for weak spots. While inspecting a piece that needs redoing, Catrin hears the screams. Running to the scene of the sounds she finds Perrette murdered. The girl, who is Catrin's age and whose father died tragically five years ago while working on the Holy Sanctum, had just visited Catrin's employer, the Magister. The murder is gruesome and it's not the last. Sent to observe Simon, a detective, Catrin discovers that he is often right in his assumptions, but so is Catrin. Little whispers in the air, Catrin's senses often lead her closer and closer to the serial killer—what is this magical ability that she possesses? Catrin is used to danger, moving from scaffolds across a building, but can she out-guess a serial killer? Readers are quickly absorbed into this rich world of magic, murder, and mystery set in the medieval era. Catrin is a character who isn't afraid, but is cautious enough to keep out of immediate danger. The book tends to drag at times and is sometimes repetitive. It can also be difficult to grasp the entire scene as there are many characters and details. Still, fans of high fantasy and mystery will enjoy the lush details, from the buildings to the various characters. VERDICT A solid addition to collections serving fans of complex fantasy mystery stories.—Katie Llera
Kirkus Reviews
2022-03-29
A girl uncovers her own secrets while chasing a serial killer in a fantasy city.
Catrin is the assistant to Magister Thomas, the head architect of the wondrous Holy Sanctum in the city of Collis. While inspecting scaffolds at night, Cat hears a scream and follows the sound only to find a gruesome murder scene. The Comte de Montcuir assigns Simon, a handsome, young distant relation of his, to investigate. As a witness, Cat hides some information because the murdered girl visited Magister Thomas earlier that evening, and she doesn’t want to give his political enemies leverage. In the course of investigating, Cat starts to uncover her own past and things that may make her uniquely qualified to hunt the killer. As more sex workers are brutally killed, Cat, Simon, and his Montcuir cousins develop a profile of the killer—a profile that fits multiple people close to Cat. Plenty of clues and red herrings keep her (and readers) guessing. The romantic storylines gain tension as Cat must decide whom to trust. The “madness” of the killer is clearly separated from mental illness, and diversity in the presentation of mental illness is emphasized. Racially, most characters read as White; there’s an in-universe diversity storyline related to an isolationist nocturnal sect some believe to have magick. The story ends with high-stakes action and long-reaching consequences.
Dark thrills for fans of psychology, magick, and murder. (author's note) (Fantasy thriller. 14-adult)
